Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-12-24

Ana NiZeneQ OLD Peter PerklnS got into
his old oyercoat and went home through
the streets where the snow lay thick and
heavy until he reached his comfortable
looking three story house. After he rang
the bell he muttered to himself.
81 might just as well have only given
Mark 81 instead of So. He'd a'been Just
as thankful: and I'd a'saved that much.
And all those things there-why, / could
have sold them at a discount, but then,
after it all, j was losing ground in church
custom by what they call my %stinginess,
and now, we'll, | guess after all I'm glad
/ give them. The poor who get them can't
complain, Oh, here she comes at last. And
she viii expect u present, too. Z Is seems
as IL everybody was beset Christmas timel
Pm sick of it. Hal,
AT this instant Mrs. Warner, who was
servant and housekeeper both, opened the
door, her rather long face wreathed III
smiles and her form dressed in her best
black silk gown. Peter Perkins was as
tonished and surprised as she led the way
to the dung room, where the old mans
dinner was laid, for ON the table smoked
a splendid turkey, while several other
| dainty and toothsome dishes stood about,
among them a noble mince pie that gave
out a mellow, luscious odor that mortal
SOoNt lpiotoEa, civ you nv hpoY
saying 1iercely:
MARY Warneri Who gave you author
ity to do this2 Why, here is dinner
enough for twenty, and such eXtrava-
gance! I.told you this morning ! didn't.
| believe in holiday nonsense, and / told you
to cook half a mackerel and q potato,
| didn't Is'
ssYou did, sir, and I was going to do it;
only this morning my sister in the coun-
try sent me n Christmas box, and these
were in it, and as I couldn't eat them all
myself l made, bold to offer you half, sir,
and no ~offense, I hope.''
sob, well, that alters the case. Well,
yes, l don't care Ii ! do,'a and he allows
himself to fall in the chair she pushed for
ward, and he fell to and ID a short time
had eaten q most excellent dinner, which
he finished with a great golden doughnut
and piece of cheese. He took these as in
a dream, n in each hand, and made
alternate bites of doughnut and cheese in
a reflective and even retrospective man
ner as he thought:
why don't city folks learn to make
crullers like this? For love nor money
you couldn't buy anything like this in all
this great city. They taste just as
mother used to make them. Her tin
cruller box was never empty and how
good they We're; the older they were the
meilower and better they were. I re-
member she used to make me a boy and q
mouse every time she fried cruliers, and
alwayo two P's for my letters. And
Christmas and New Years she put car
away seed candies ali over mine. Iwon-
der how she did it. That mince pie was
good. / think I will take another piece.
1t hain't cost anything and it makes me
think of old times
And so the misery old man sat and alta
until his usual bedtime came, when he lit
his candle, for he never would have gas,
and went to bed.
Scarcely had he got warm and comfort
able whenihe saw standing by his bedside
o stranger. whose face was carefully
turned away, and who wore a long, loose
garment of some unknown fashion, and
fnstinctiyely Peter Perkins put his hand
under his pillow after his revolver, think
ing of robbers, but the stranger said in q
low voice, which yet had such authority
In 1t that the wretched man dared not
disobey:
uArise, dress yourself and follow me. y
As in a dream the little |miser followed,
but they went SO swiftly that be could
not see where they were going until at
last the stranger said:
open your eyes and tell me what you
see.n
Peter Perkins stood and gazed with his
wizened face pale and frightened. He
seemed to he in a vast place, so vast that
1t appeared to be visible illimitable space.
There was no beginning nor end to any
where, and yet he was there in the midst
Of this infinity Of distance, and before
him upon nothing stood great tables upor
which was piled q heterogeneous collection
Of everything imaginable, and while BIZ
was trying to understand this confusion.
he noticed that there had appeared, i.anl
on rank and file IN lille, limitlsss, count
less numbers of cherubim and seraphim
and In the midst OF this throng sat upoI
q crystal throne Christ, the benign, tn,
loving, the pitifuI, and his features seemed
to exude sweetness and mercy from ever,
linesment. and his smile was ineffabl,
tender.
The cherubim and seraphim SAM
aGlorv, glory 70 God in the highest ami